Events worldwide marking the centenary of the birth of Charlie Parker (August 29, 1920) have been scaled back to due to the ongoing pandemic. Concerts with socially distanced audiences, behind-closed-doors live streams and radio and television programmes will commemorate the occasion. One way or another it shouldn't be too difficult to catch something over the next few days.
Thursday (Aug 27) at Ronnie Scott's could prove to be a highlight among highlights. The latest in the Frith Street, Soho club's Return Sessions features Gilad Atzmon with a string quartet live streaming from 7:00pm. When it comes to playing the music of Charlie Parker, alto saxophonist Atzmon is arguably as good as anyone on the planet. Joining Atzmon will be the ace rhythm section of Ross Stanley, piano, Dave Whitfield, bass, Chris Higginbottom, drums and the Sigamos String Quartet (Ros Stephen, violin, Marianne Haynes, violin, Felix Tanner, viola and Laura Anstee, cello).
On Saturday (one hundred years to the day of Parker's birth) Mark Toomey will be live streaming at two o'clock from St Peter's Church, Stockton. Toomey readily concedes that live stream technology is new to him so, check out the alto saxophonist's Facebook page (and possibly YouTube). The alto saxophonist's regular quartet - Jeremy McMurray, piano, Peter Ayton, bass and drummer Paul Smith - will be alongside him on what promises to be a grand occasion.
If you happen to be in Kansas City on Saturday (you neve know!) the American Jazz Museum will be presenting a marathon twelve hours of performances dedicated to Bird. The action begins at 7:00am (!) when the first of many bands takes to the stage, culminating at 5:30pm with the great Bobby Watson. You'll be there? Write a review!
BBC Radio 3's J to Z (Saturday, 5:00pm), presented by Julian Joseph, is dedicated to Bird and his legacy. Guests include Sheila Jordan, Django Bates, Nathaniel Facey and Alan Barnes. When it comes to Charlie Parker this lot know what they're talking about!
And to Sunday. At St James' and St Basil's Church, Fenham, Newcastle (3:00pm) pianist Dean Stockdale, in the company of Mick Shoulder, bass and drummer Russ Morgan will be playing a few numbers associated with Charlie Parker together with some original material. The concert in the church grounds is weather dependent. The forecast is reasonably favourable (13° 'with a low chance of precipitation'). Bird Lives!
Russell
2 comments :
Russell - you omitted to mention the Jazz Coop's celebration at the Globe on Sept. 6! The Alan Law Trio with Jordan Alfonso on alto promises to be really special. Mark Toomey's gig, which has already been profiled by Mark himself also looks good - when it comes to paying tribute to Bird then you need an alto player who can handle it - these guys can.
I love Dean Stockdale's piano playing - he is one of the best - but I find that, on such an auspicious occasion, to pay only lip service to the man is disappointing to say the least. In normal times, on that weekend, alto sax players would be in greater demand than bagpipers on New Year's Eve. However, these aren't normal times so I'm sure there would have been some musicians available. How about a tribute to Oscar Peterson without a pianist?
Or did the church object to Parker's lifestyle?
Lance - I omitted, but didn't ignore or forget about Jordan's forthcoming gig. It is simply that the Jazz Co-op gig is a week or more after the Bird 'weekend'. Jordan's gig is one I'd love to be at!
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